


Doubt is a Luxury

by nessatheresa12121



Category: Incredibles (Pixar Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 09:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16741207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nessatheresa12121/pseuds/nessatheresa12121
Summary: Or is it?





	Doubt is a Luxury

As she traipses through the jungle darkness, she remembers those words she’d spoken to her only daughter only a few minutes before. _Doubt is a luxury we can’t afford anymore. So don’t think, and don’t worry._

Well, she’s not exactly living up to her own words. Though she moves with the practiced confidence of an Olympic gymnast and doesn’t allow herself the ability to falter, her heart is definitely wavering.

Supers aren’t supposed to fear. From their very inception they’ve been stoic figures, unblinking and unflinching, beacons in the darkness that a despairing population, even in the blackest times, can look upon and smile with hope. Of course, heroes _do_ fear, like everybody else, but they’re not meant to show it. A super is meant to have the fortitude of ten lesser men. A super is not supposed to blanch at anything. 

Helen doesn’t blanch. She faces her adversary bravely. The thing is, on multiple levels, she doesn’t even know who her adversary _is_.

It’s entirely possible that whoever runs this godforsaken island simply shot Helen’s jet down because of some sort of technical malfunction that kept them from communicating, kept her from hearing their demands to identify herself, and kept them from hearing her desperate pleas to spare her and her children. It’s also possible that she’s intruded on restricted government airspace - of _which_  government exactly, she has no clue - and the secrets that lie on this island aren’t for her or anyone’s eyes. Or perhaps this island is the lair of some evildoer who can’t stomach uninvited guests.

And why would Bob be here? Given his odd behavior in the last few months, she’s certainly not shocked that something screwy is going on with him, but what exactly? Has he been hired by some government to work as a secret operative? She wouldn’t put it past him. Has he been kidnapped against his will? She feels a small burst of hope and relief at that idea - it would mean that perhaps his lies aren’t as extensive as she feared. Is this island simply some kind of weird resort island - a particularly trigger-happy one with malfunctioning communicative equipment? If that’s the case, then it’s more than likely that Bob has been having an affair.

If he has been, she’ll kill him.

Not too long ago, Helen was distraught at the idea that her husband had betrayed her. Her mind had raced a million miles a second, searching for her own flaws and faults. Had she done something wrong? What about her wasn’t good enough? But after speaking with Edna, Helen’s waking up. This isn’t her fault. It’s the fault of a bunch of factors, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with her.

First: her husband is a lying, selfish jerk.

Second: he’s going through a midlife crisis of titanic proportions, yearning for adventure and newness that his calm, stable wife of fifteen years just can’t offer him anymore.

Third: society has compressed and forcibly hidden supers away, making them all chafe horribly under the strain of pretending to be something they’re not - yes, even Helen has felt this chafing sometimes. But it was never enough to make her want to abandon her family. Nothing would ever be enough for that. Despite the discomfort she knew Bob was feeling with his civilian life, she’s always thought the felt the same. That his loyalty was a given.

Especially now that children are involved.

Her teeth clench, hard enough to hurt, as she barrels through the brush of the jungle, searching for signs of civilization. Betraying her, leaving her, is bad enough. Doing this to the children is unthinkable. It’s so unthinkable, in fact, that she thinks Bob must have been kidnapped or extorted otherwise brought here against his will. With whatever doubts she holds about his loyalty to their marriage, she can’t fathom having the same doubts about his devotion to their kids. He’s been distant, sure - not exactly Superdad - but she knows, above all else, that he loves their children fiercely, more than he loves anything. To hurt them like this, to lie to them, willingly abandon them, put them in danger...

If it’s true, she’s not really sure she’ll be able to restrain herself from killing him. No court would convict her, anyway.

She bursts through the edge of the jungle, seeing a structure in front of her: a long, odd variety of railway, suspended from the ground by pillars, snaking off into the distance. Okay, she’ll wait for a train to show up and ride it to civilization and then figure out just what the hell is going on here. Sounds like a plan.

As she waits, she remembers the words she shared with her daughter just minutes before.  _Doubt is a luxury._

She’s plagued with doubts, but she’s not feeling very luxurious.

 

 

“We need to talk. Urgently, Bob.”

It’s been a few days since the destruction of their house by a falling jet, and they’ve been staying in a ratty old motel. The kids are outside playing in the pool; she can hear them splashing and cheering. Bob is sitting on one of the two beds, staring down at the Classifieds section of a newspaper, trying to figure out a way to be their provider again. He glances up at her, blinking, blue eyes made bigger by his square glasses. Distracted as always. “Pardon, honey?”

“We need to talk,” she repeats flatly. “About everything.”

He sets down the paper, concerned and slightly worried, and pats the bed beside him, producing a dull thump. “Okay, be my guest.”

She sits, but gives him a pointed glare. “I’m not going to be the one doing all the talking for once, Bob. You’re gonna be answering some questions for me today. And you better hope I like the answers.”

His mouth twists and she sees sorrow, genuine regret, in those blue eyes. “Okay, hon. I’ll be honest. Shoot.”

A few months ago, if she had approached him with this level of aggression, he would’ve been instantly on the defensive, and they never would’ve accomplished anything in conversation, just a flurry of accusations back and forth. Now, though, she can sense that Bob knows very well that he screwed up, badly - and he’s willing to face her anger in return. To take responsibility like a man, with head bowed, contritely, never making excuses, just offering the truth.

With that, despite her anger and indignation, she feels a small surge of appreciation and love. She’s glad that this version of Bob is making an appearance. With what they’ve learned about each other in the past few days, despite her anger, she knows their marriage will survive. These questions aren’t for her to use as ammunition; they’re just for clarity. She won’t leave him, and he won’t leave her. They’re stronger together, united and stable. And, here’s the important bit: they’ve both learned their lessons.

She might get angry with him, and he might get a little defensive in return, but they won’t ever question their love and devotion to one another and their family. That has been proven stable beyond a question.

She once again remembers telling her daughter that doubt is a luxury. Well, right now she has no doubt - not about Bob, at least. And that feels like a luxury indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> I always felt that Helen’s speech to Violet was maybe nice if you don’t think about it too much, but if you do, it breaks down. Especially the part about doubt being a luxury - which I really don’t think is ever the case. It’s a lot more complicated a situation than I can discuss in these notes, but I just wanted to write a short piece of fiction based around those four words. I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
